Communicate With Your Team

 Communication is one my strengths. Don't get me wrong, strengths can also be weaknesses. However, for any position, you need to have communication. Clear communication is the backbone of a strong team. Active listening, concise messages and regular check-ins are just the beginning. How do you encourage open communication within your team?

You have to build trust! How do you build trust? Through engagement and transparency! We'll talk more about that in other posts, and if you haven't already, check out my podcast to learn even more about it! You can listen in HERE 

How important is feedback in communication? Well, constructive criticism can foster growth within your team if given at the right moment, and in the right venue. What do I mean by that? If you see a team member doing something that calls for feedback, if the situation is appropriate to discuss right away, then go ahead, however if the team member is with a customer or within a group of other team members, it may be best to pull them aside privately. 

Remember, communication breakdowns, can happen and do happen. It's okay! A communication breakdown is a misunderstanding. The message was not received the way it was intended. The clarification that the other party understood, the way they should was not completed. Reset, and try again. As the leader, remember, if you are the one relaying the message and you are the one who failed to clarify with the team member, that falls on you, not the team member. 

Celebrate ALL the wins!!! It doesn't matter how big, or how small they are. Celebrate them! Recognize that the power of a celebration is positive reinforcement in team communication. Gratitude goes a long way. Recognizing outstanding contributions from team members can have a lasting impact. Allow your team to recognize each other. Peer-to-peer recognition can be the unsung hero on your team! Your team is communicating with one another! Don't make Employee Appreciation Day the ONLY day you say Thank you! Make it a habit to show gratitude as a daily practice. You can do this with personalized thank you notes, team shout-outs, bonuses, flexible hours, meals etc. 

How does your team communicate with each other? What does your team member engagement look like? I want to know.